Changes
by PUNKYANGEL2469
Summary: Hinata is fed up with trying to win Naruto's heart. So with years of training from a certain Uchiha, Hinata returns, a completely new person. But how will Naruto take it?
1. 1 Confidence

This story is for Angel-Hime15. The credit for the plot goes to her!

Hope you like!

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><p>Chapter 1- Confidence<p>

"Go on, Hinata. You can do this!" Tenten said.

"Yeah! Go on!" Ino chimed, placing her hands on the timid girl's shoulders.

Hinata was almost visibly shaking.

It was February the fourteenth.

Valentine's Day.

Tenten and Ino dedicated this day to helping Hinata conquer her nervousness and confess her love to Naruto.

Hinata clutched her homemade chocolates to her chest, her face a bright scarlet. "A-A-Are you s-sure I can do it?" the sixteen year old asked.

The other girls smiled and nodded to their friend.

_'Here goes nothing...'_

Hinata calmly took in a breath and raised her hand to the door, ready to knock. She stopped when she realized her whole arm was shaking and sighed. "G-G-Guys, I d-don't thing I can do it..."

When she turned, her friends had vanished, leaving Hinata abandoned on Naruto's doorstep. Her face turned a violent red when the door opened behind her.

"Hinata-chan?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. "H-H-Hi, N-Naruto-kun." she sputtered. Quickly she bowed and thrust the heart shaped box out to the boy standing in the doorway, her fringe covering her tomato red face. "H-Happy Valentine's Day!" she squeaked.

When she didn't get a response of any sort, she peeked up at him. His cheeks were tinted red and he swayed from side to side. His clothes were wrinkled and mussed up. From what Hinata could smell, she figured the worst.

"N-Naruto-kun... Have you been drinking?" she asked.

The blond leaned against the frame of the door and snorted a little. "Nooooo. Well, maybe a little." he said, slightly slumping to the side and chuckling.

Hinata furrowed her brow and stepped forward, bravely taking Naruto's arm. "C-Come on and lay down. We don't need you hurting yourself." she said.

Naruto stubbornly shook his head in response, crossing his arms like a child. "I don't wanna!"

Hinata gave him a concerned look. "A-At least sit down, Naruto-kun." she pleaded as she pulled him into his apartment.

The blond boy grumbled under his breath and did as he was told. He plopped down in a chair next to his little kitchen table. Hinata stared in awe at the six already empty sake bottles that littered the table and floor. Naruto reached for another one, popped it open, and tipped it back, almost draining it.

Hinata began to pick up the bottles and throw them in the garbage and sat next to the drunken boy, setting her little box of chocolates on the table.

Once Naruto had finished the bottle, he tossed it somewhere in the room.

"N-Naruto-kun, that can't be healthy for you..."

The boy tilted his head back and laughed. "What does it matter! I've tried every year to get Sakura-chan to go out with me. I've tried for," he stopped to count on his fingers, "Six years! Six fucking years, Hinata! And do ya' know what she said to me? 'I'm waiting for Sasuke-kun.' It's always Sasuke! Sasuke this! Sasuke that! I wish I had never brought that stupid bastard home!" he shouted. He then leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. He made a sound that was similar to a strained sob. "I brought him back for her. Her! Doesn't she understand how hard that was!" he then looked over to the girl, and indeed he was crying. "Hinata... You don't know what it's like... To know the one you love is in love with someone else. It's awful..."

_'Heartbreaking, isn't it, Naruto?'_ she thought, her hands clenching into fists.

The boy then leaned over onto her, laughing once more. "But that's life isn't it, Hinata-chan! You win none, and you lose them all!" he shouted, laughing until his head was in her lap.

Every word pierced Hinata's heart to the point where she quit listening for fear she would explode into tears. Naruto just laid there, going on and on about how amazing the pinkette was, laughing at his own ironic jokes, and even crying when appropriate. Hinata, the girl who had walked in with red cheeks and a constant stutter, simply glared at the forgotten box on the table.

Oh, how she wished it would burst into flames!

Soon enough, the inebriated boy passed out in the Hyuuga's lap, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

Hinata wasn't sure if they were from crying or laughing, and quite frankly she didn't care.

She moved him from the table to his bed, not even bothering to cover him with a blanket. In a mind of malice and hurt, she snatched the box from the table and stormed out of his apartment, slamming the door with all the force she had. She stomped down the stairs with such a manner that Ino and Tenten moved from their hiding spot.

"Hinata, what happened?" Ino asked as she took in the Hyuuga's distraught appearance.

"What did he do?" Tenten demanded.

Hinata looked up, her eyes holding tears the size of golf balls. She angrily threw the chocolates to the ground and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Tell Sakura she can have him! I don't want him anymore!"

Ino and Tenten tried their best to console their friend, but rage had already taken over the usually meek Hinata. She swatted them away and ran off as soon as the girls permitted it.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata, wait!"

Hinata ignored them and let her feet be her guidance. The faster she ran, the more she didn't want to turn back.

Eventually she stopped in the old training grounds. She slid to the ground and leaned up against a post, catching her breath.

"Where's the fire?"

Hinata gasped and looked to her side and up.

Her eyes met with the eyes that belonged to Sasuke Uchiha.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffled. "S-Sorry... I didn't meant to i-intrude..." she whispered and began to move to her feet.

"Stop." he demanded.

The Hyuuga girl froze in her tracks.

"I'm not going to be nosy and ask what's wrong. But if you need to talk about it, I can keep a secret." he stated cooly.

Hinata nodded but kept her eyes on the ground. "I-I tried to confess to Naruto-kun... That I love him. But all he talked about was Sakura-san... Granted he was d-drunk. But..."

The Uchiha watched the girl. "You need help."

She snapped her head up at him. "P-Pardon?"

"You need to stop being so scared. If you really like the dobe, don't be afraid."

Anger boiled up in her gut. "I never want to see him again!" she shouted. "I want to be stronger. I want to be like Sakura-san... No... Stronger than her. I'm tired of being put down and my confidence failing me." she said.

Sasuke smirked. "You didn't stutter once during that whole spill."

Hinata blushed at that realization.

"Hyuuga, I'm willing to help you. If you'll help me."

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><p>That night, Hinata and Sasuke met at the same spot at midnight.<p>

"Are you sure you want to do this, Hyuuga?"

The girl nodded, her light purple eyes blazing in the moonlight.

A smirk spread across Sasuke's face. "Alright then. Let's go."

And then they were gone.

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><p>This was the first chapter of a little side fic I'm doing for another friend of mine. Hope you like!<p>

-PA


	2. 2 Homeward Bound

Here is the second chapter for Changes. I hope you guys like it! Read and review!

-PA

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><p>2. Homeward Bound<p>

Five years.

It had been five years since Hinata had left the village with Sasuke.

She endured five years of harsh and excruciating training.

She spent five years with him and they developed a bond that she'd never had before.

Now, after those five long years, she was going home.

Finally.

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><p>Nostalgia washed over Hinata in waves as she looked at the upcoming gates of Konoha. She took in a long breath, feeling the old winds wrap around her.<p>

Oh, how she missed the village.

"Okaa-san?"

Hinata looked down at the toddler who was grasping her finger. "Yes, Shiro?"

The toddler shyly held a finger to his lips. "Where's daddy? Isn't he coming home with us?"

Hinata pulled the child up onto her waist, gently smoothing down his dark blue hair. "Daddy won't... Won't be with us for a while."

The more Hinata looked at the child, the more she saw his father in him. She felt her eyes sting but ignored it, planting a kiss on the toddler's forehead.

Hinata continued down the path to the village. Shiro cuddled into her shoulder, his deep red eyes slowly drooping closed. He eventually fell asleep curled against his mother and she smiled, gently cradling her baby.

Eventually, Hinata made it at least half a mile outside the Konoha gates. Her eyes scaled every square inch of the high stone walls and suddenly she felt uneasy.

What if everyone deemed her a rogue?

What if Lady Tsunade didn't allow her back into the village to stay?

She couldn't just keep wandering. Not with her child. She wanted to raise him in the same village that she and his father had been raised.

A head of pale blonde caught the Hyuuga's eye.

A grin spread across her lips and she made her way off of the path and over to a little flower garden.

A woman was facing away from her, picking flowers and setting them in different baskets. Her light blonde hair was pulled back into a high bun, clipped to her head with a large flower pin. She was wearing an apron over a blue t-shirt and navy blue shorts. Hinata recognized her immediately.

"Ino?" she questioned, even though she knew who she was.

The woman turned and gave Hinata a confused look, but it soon turned into a look of surprise and shock. "H-Hinata!" she realized and hopped to her feet, flinging flowers from her lap. The blonde rushed over to her friend, tears of joy in her eyes. "Hinata! You're back!"

Ino's exclamation caused Shiro to jolt from his slumber. "O-Okaa-san?"

Ino had just then noticed the child in Hinata's arms. "You... You had a kid! Who's is it? Where have you been! Tell me everything!"

Hinata giggled and placed a hand on Ino's shoulder. "Calm down, Ino. I'll explain everything whenever you aren't busy."

Ino became superbly excited. She quickly gathered her baskets of flowers and beckoned Hinata to follow her. The Hyuuga smiled and adjusted the now awake Shiro on her hip.

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><p>After Hinata laid Shiro down to sleep, she joined Ino in her kitchen. The blonde woman was eagerly waiting at her kitchen table with two cups of hot tea. Hinata sat across from her and was almost immediately bombarded with questions.<p>

"Okay, first question. Where did you go?"

Hinata smiled. "No where I had planned. We ended up just going everywhere."

"We?"

"Sasuke and I."

"You were with Sasuke? Why?"

"He promised to train me to help me become stronger. And he kept his word."

Ino noticed the pained expression in Hinata's eyes. She cleared her throat and stared into her tea for a moment. "And the kid?"

Hinata sadly kept her eyes on the table. "His name is Shiro. He's three years old tomorrow, on Valentine's day." Hurt continued to build up in Hinata's heart, but she kept going. "One night, after training, Sasuke and I... We drank a little too much. We didn't know what we were doing at the time. Nine months later, Shiro was born. I had never seen Sasuke so happy. That was two years after we left Konoha. Sasuke was... An amazing father to him."

Ino swallowed a lump in her throat. "W-Was?"

Hinata sighed deeply. "Sasuke... Died. He was fighting Itachi and... The attacks killed them both. I don't have the heart to tell Shiro. He keeps thinking Sasuke is on a really long mission."

Ino wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"I came back to Konoha to raise Shiro. He deserves a normal life. This is the most I can do for him."

Ino smiled at her and placed a hand on hers. "You've become alot stronger, Hinata. I can see that. Shiro has a great mother."

Hinata smiled back at her friend. "So, what's changed around here?"

Ino leaned back, suddenly uneasy. "Well, Kurenai has a kid too. He's five now, I think. Shikamaru went to Suna to live with Temari. And, well..."

"Well...?"

"Naruto has become Hokage."

Hinata smiled. "That's good for him. I knew he would do it." Ino nodded, nibbling on her bottom lip. Hinata carefully observed her body language and leaned forward on her elbows. "Ino, what else happened?"

The blonde pursed her lips and avoided eye contact. "Remember when I said you got stronger? You're kinda freaking me out..." she said with a nervous laugh.

"Ino." she said, her voice low and serious.

Ino fiddled with her fingers. "Okay, but don't get too upset."

Hinata raised her eyebrow.

Ino took in a large breath. "Naruto got married. To Sakura."

Hinata opened her mouth to say something but was stopped.

"O-Okaa-san?"

The opal eyed female looked past Ino to the little child standing in the kitchen doorway. She smiled and held out her arms, the toddler not hesitating to run into his mother's arms. The three year old cuddled up close to her, nuzzling his face into her chest and hair.

Ino just smiled softly. "Wow. He does resemble Sasuke alot, doesn't he?" she said, gently flicking his spiky midnight blue hair.

Hinata nodded and kissed Shiro's forehead. "That he does."

Ino laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "So, were you and Sasuke... Ya'know... In love?"

Hinata made a face and shook her head. "No. We did become very close friends. But we weren't in love." she said as she ran her fingers through Shiro's unruly hair. "But Shiro definately brought us closer." This caused the toddler to blush and smile, knowing that his mother was talking about him. "It's hard to describe what we had."

Ino smiled again. "You know... In order for you to stay here, you have to talk to the Hokage." she said.

Hinata sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I should probably get going before it gets dark then, huh?"

"Yeah, probably." Ino agreed.

Hinata stood from the table, Shiro on her hip again, and followed Ino to the door. "It was nice seeing you Ino. I'll be sure to stop by again soon." she said.

The blonde smiled. "I would like that, Hinata. Good luck!"

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><p>Naruto sighed as he looked at the two foot tall stack of papers that claimed his desk.<p>

He had JUST finished one! Were they multiplying now?

He plopped down behind his desk and took the first page from the top of the stack and just signed his name to it. A knock came from his door and he slightly glared at it. "Come in."

The door opened and Sakura stepped in, a bright smile on her face. "Hey, Naruto." she said as she approached her husband's desk. She placed a bento on the edge and stared at the stack of papers. "Looks like you've got your work cut out for you, don't you?"

The blonde sighed and chuckled. "Yeah. I don't know what time I'll be off tonight, Sakura." he said.

The pinkette just nodded, a smile on her lips. "It's alright. I'll keep dinner warm for you." She said and kissed his cheek.

Naruto smiled as he watched his wife leave his office. Then he sighed.

Something didn't feel right.

Recently, things just felt... Odd between him and Sakura. Like something was missing. Not that he was complaining. He'd finally gotten the thing he most wanted in his life, but something felt wrong.

He sighed and went back to his stack of papers. After what seemed like a lifetime, he had gotten through half the stack.

He groaned and leaned back in his chair, accepting the silence for once.

"I always believed in you, Naruto."

The blonde Hokage snapped up, his eyes landing on the intruder. They widened considerably when he noticed the dark blue hair and pale lavender eyes. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, looking alot like a fish.

Hinata chuckled to herself as she saw Naruto's shocked expression. Then the Hokage spotted a pair of tiny hands on the edge of his desk, followed by a head of almost jet black hair and deep scarlet eyes. Those eyes simply looked over Naruto's features, idly settling on his whisker marks for a moment. The child's eyes brightened up and he scampered over to Hinata. "Kaa-san! Is that man a neko-man?" he asked as he tugged on her jacket.

The woman chuckled again and pulled the toddler up and onto her hip. He looked over at the blonde man again and simply stared at him.

"K-K-Kaa-san?" Naruto sputtered. "Is that what he just called you?"

Shiro protectively wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. Whoever this man was, he didn't like him. He wasn't his daddy.

"Yes. Naruto, this is my son, Shiro." she stated, prying Shiro from her and setting him back on the floor. Shiro held somewhat of a distainful look to the man.

Naruto furrowed his brow at the child. "Your son..." For some reason, he felt something foreign in his chest but decided to ignore it.

The child backed up as Naruto stood from behind his desk. He quickly moved behind his mother and gripped her leg.

"How old is he?" Naruto asked and kept moving toward them.

Hinata smiled brightly at him. "He'll be three tomorrow. Won't you, Shiro?"

The child nodded curtly, his cheeks a light pink.

Naruto cleared his throat. "So, uh, where have you been? Ya'know... For the five years you've been gone."

Hinata shrugged her shoulders. "Here and there. I've been training for all that time." she answered.

"You've, uh, changed... Quite a bit since the last time I saw you, Hinata-chan." Hinata winced at the old honorific. "You seem more... Confident." he finished.

The woman gracefully bowed to the Hokage. "I came to ask if it was possible for my son and I to reside in Konoha, Hokage-sama."

Naruto was taken aback by her sudden change in attitude. He nodded his head and swallowed hard. "Uh, yeah. I'll find an apartment for you and Shiro."

Hinata stood up straight and smiled. "For the time being we'll stay with Ino Yamanaka." she said.

Naruto nodded again. "It's nice to see you, Hinata-chan."

The Hyuuga respectfully bowed again. "Likewise, Hokage-sama."

Moments later, Hinata exited Naruto's office, Shiro toddling behind her.

The small boy looked up at his mother, concern etched on his face. "Kaa-san, your eyes are leaking!" he exclaimed.

Hinata stopped and sniffled, glad she held her composure until after she left the office. "I-I'm fine, Shiro."

Shiro tugged at Hinata's jacket until she was down to his level. He calmly wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I've only seen your eyes leak like this one time, Kaa-san, when daddy didn't come home."

This caused Hinata to sob, hiding her face in her hands. Shiro wrapped his tiny arms around his mother's neck, doing what he'd seen his father do whenever she got hurt.

Hinata's mind was a mess of emotions. Seeing Naruto just set something off in her heart, but she wasn't sure what it was. And Shiro's comment about Sasuke just blew her over the edge. The toddler gently smoothed out her hair, doing his best to console her. Hinata felt pathetic for having her three year old see her this way.

"Don't worry, Kaa-san. Daddy will come back one day. He's not Sasuke Uchiwa for nothing!"

Hinata chuckled and pulled back, kissing her son on the forehead. "Uchiha, sweetie. Uchiha." she corrected.

The toddler giggled and smiled. Hinata picked him up from the floor, cradling him close to her.

As the two moved down the hallway and out of the Hokage Tower, Naruto stood, stunned, in the corner he was using to eavesdrop.

"Sasuke was... Hinata..." he couldn't even finish, even though he was talking to himself. He felt his heart sink to his stomach as he sank to the floor.

_'So that's where she's been... She left with Sasuke for five years.'_

"Naruto?"

The blonde looked up and saw Sakura looking down at him, concern in her eyes.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

Naruto stood and leaned against the wall. "Did you know Hinata is back?"

Sakura looked surprised. "No, I didn't." she answered and adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

Naruto laughed and Sakura winced at the spite in it. "Guess what? She has a kid."

The pinkette's eyes widened a little. "Oh, really? Good for her then." she said and smiled.

"Sasuke is the father." he said, almost in a breathless whisper.

Sakura remained speechless to her husband.

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><p>Hinata stepped out of the shower, feeling completely refreshed once more. She slid on the clothes Ino allowed her to borrow.<p>

"Kaa-san!" Shiro called as he walked into their temporary room in the Yamanaka household.

Hinata grinned and swept her baby off his feet, earning numerous giggles from him. She kissed his cheek. "Look at that clean little boy! Where did my Shiro go, with all his crazy hair?" Shiro blushed and mussed up his hair, letting it fall perfectly back into place. He continued this many times before he just gave up. Hinata chuckled and laid her son down on their bed. "It's time for bed, Shiro."

The toddler crawled under the covers and snuggled down into his pillow. He smiled as his mother tucked him in. "Look, you go on to sleep. I'll be in here soon. I'm going to talk to Ms. Ino for a while. Can you be in here by yourself?"

Shiro smiled and nodded. "I'm a big boy!" he exclaimed. Hinata smiled back at him and kissed his forehead.

"That's my Shiro! Goodnight, sweetie." she said. She stood and turned the light off, pulling the door shut until it was cracked.

Hinata walked to Ino's den and sat next to the blonde on her couch.

"So, how was your meeting with Naruto?" Ino asked as she gently blew on her hot tea.

Hinata sighed and picked her own cup up. "Well... It could've gone better. I cracked when we left his office. Ugh, it was such a mess."

"Well, from what Sakura told me when she stopped by earlier, Naruto isn't doing so well either."

Hinata shrugged and pushed her curiosity to the back of her mind.

"Hinata, you can't just avoid him-"

"Like hell I can't!"

Ino blinked at Hinata's sudden outburst. The other girl just sipped at her tea.

"He's married now, I have a child. I was over him the day I left and we've gone our separate ways." she said.

Ino pursed her lips. "Maybe you two could become friends again?" she suggested.

Hinata gave her an incredulous look. "From what happened earlier today... I highly doubt that option. Plus, things would get too complicated with Shiro. He's still waiting for Sasuke to come home."

The blonde heaved a heavy sigh. "True. Well, you can stay here as long as you'd like. And hey, maybe tomorrow we could go meet up with Tenten. She would love to see you."

Hinata smiled. "I would love that."

The two friends sat there for hours, just talking like old times. Eventually they split off to their separate rooms.

Hinata slowly crawled in next to her slumbering child. She smiled when he instinctively moved close to her, snuggling into her chest. She kissed his forehead and closed her tired eyes.

_'Maybe things will get better for us, Shiro.'_

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><p>Hope you guys liked this chapter!<p>

-PA


	3. Chapter 3

I'm happy you guys like my little side project! Oh! I would love to see some fanart of Shiro, if any of you also have a deviant art! Thanks! R&R!

-PA

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><p>3. Old Friends<p>

Hinata took in a long breath as she walked down the streets of Konoha. Everything was the same, yet so different. Everyone she knew had grown up so much. Hinata liked the feel of the wind as it whipped her light blue sundress back and forth.

"Kaa-san! Kaa-san!" Shiro exclaimed and tugged on her skirt, pointing at a stand selling dango. "I want one! Onegai, Kaa-san!"

Hinata chuckled at her son and walked over to the stand, digging in her purse for her money. The old man behind the stand gave her a friendly smile. "Best dango in Konoha!" he boasted.

"Definately, from what I remember!" Hinata agreed and they shared a hearty laugh. He handed her two fresh dango and thanked her. The indigo haired beauty gave one of them to her son. "Now be careful, Shiro. These can get very sticky."

The red eyed boy smiled as he graciously took a bite of the delicious treat. "Yummy!"

Hinata took Shiro's other hand and lead him through the streets of the village, telling him about the Academy and the exams and the training. Shiro listened intently, absorbing everything like the sponge he was.

"Oi, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata turned to see a brunette female running her way. "Tenten!" she exclaimed and embraced her friend.

"Hi, Hinata-chan! Oh, I've missed you so much!" the older girl said then pulled away and looked down at the confused toddler. "And who is this strapping young boy?" she asked.

Hinata smiled brightly at Tenten. "Tenten, this is my son, Shiro. Shiro, this is Tenten. Shiro turns three today, don't you?" Shiro blushed and nodded.

Shiro shyly smiled at the lady, reaching for his mother's hand.

"Ino already told me everything, that loudmouth." Tenten said, then her voice got somewhat serious. "I came to give you my condolences. How are you two doing?"

Hinata smiled, instantly lighting up the mood. "We're fine. I went to see Naruto yesterday and we should be getting our own apartment today. I was actually on my way to see him."

"Oh, really?" Tenten said, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, good luck! Let me know if you need anything, 'kay?"

"I will." Hinata replied, a gentle smile playing her lips.

After the girls departed, Hinata continued down the dirt streets. Shiro tugged on her skirt again, which caused her to look at him. "Kaa-san... Are we going to see that man who made you cry yesterday?"

Hinata knelt down and smiled at him. "Sweetie, Naruto-sama didn't make me cry." she said softly.

The toddler still didn't believe her, which was obvious. "I don't like the neko-man! He's mean!"

The woman just chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Let's have a good birthday, okay? Ino said she's making you a yummy cake later!"

Shiro's eyes turned bright with happiness as he began to skip along behind his mother.

* * *

><p>"Hokage-sama, you have a visitor." Naruto's assistant said as she held the door open.<p>

Naruto looked up from the report he was reading. Hinata stepped into his office and bowed respectfully. "I came on behalf of our living arrangements, Naruto-sama."

The blonde's eyes went back to the report. "I have something very important to discuss with you, Hinata."

The Hyuuga stood straight. "Yes?"

"Nami, take the child out of the room, please."

His assistant nodded and held her hand out to the toddler, giving him a kind smile. He looked up at his mother, confusion etched in his deep red eyes. Hinata smiled. "Go on, I'll be with you soon." She gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and waved as he left the office.

Hinata then turned back to the blonde man behind the desk. He laid the report down on his desk and gestured to the seat before him. "Have a seat." Hinata obeyed and sat in the comfy chair. Naruto cleared his throat and looked at her with serious eyes. "I know who Shiro's father is, Hinata. I'll be willing to let you and your child to stay in the village, given you tell us Sasuke's whereabouts."

The Hyuuga felt her heart twist in a knot. How did he know? What would he do when she told him the truth? Just kick her out? "I... I can't do that, Naruto." she mumbled, keeping her voice strong.

Naruto's brow creased. "And why not?"

The woman looked down, fiddling with a random piece of thread on her sundress. "It's... It's complicated..."

The Hokage stood from his seat and moved in front of her. "Hinata, please-"

"I can't..."

"Just liste-"

"Naruto, I can't."

"As Hokage, I demand you to tell me!" he shouted, slowly getting angrier by the second.

Hinata stood and glared hard into his eyes. "_You_ cannot demand me to do anything, Naruto Uzumaki! If ANYTHING, this is YOUR fault!"

"My fault? What are you saying?"

Hinata stomped her foot and gripped her skirt in her fists, tears gradually gathering at the edges of her eyes. "If you hadn't have made me leave, none of this would have happened! Shiro would have a father, and I wouldn't have had to come back! To all the stupid memories you caused! On this day, Valentine's Day!"

Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hinata, calm down-"

"If it weren't for you, Sasuke wouldn't be dead!" she screamed and turned, dashing out of his office.

"Hinata, wait!" he called as he followed her.

She willed her feet to go faster, but the tears made everything blurry and she tripped over her own feet, sending her crashing to the hard wood floor. She sobbed and covered her face from the embarrassment and to avoid Naruto's eyes. She felt him lean down next to her and she didn't move. Her fingers tangled themselves in her hair and she bit her quivering lip.

Naruto gently reached out to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her up. Hinata looked at him, confused at first, but then was shocked when he embraced her. "I'm so sorry, Hinata. For everything I've caused you."

More tears swelled up in her eyes and she shoved her face into his shoulder, gripping his jacket in her shaking hands. It was weird... He was the caused of her tears, but when he held her like this, it slowly eased her heart and mind. Her body shook from her sobs. "Everyday... I see Sasuke in Shiro... It hurts so much..."

Naruto slowly rubbed her back and consoled her. "I'm so so sorry..." he said over and over until her sobs died down to little sniffles.

"K-Kaa-san?"

Hinata quickly looked up and the sight broke her heart. Shiro stood there, his face pale and eyes wide and full of tears. "Shiro..." she said and moved from Naruto's arms.

The toddler took a step back, the tears spilling from his eyes. "D-D-Daddy is..."

"Shiro, listen to mommy-"

Shiro shook his head. "No... Daddy is coming home! He promised us, momma!" he shouted. Tears overflowed now. "He promised he would come back and protect us! Daddy loves us, momma!"

Hinata took her child in her arms and held him tight. Shiro wailed in his mother's arms, clutching her hair in his little hands. Hinata silently smoothed down his hair, her own tears falling and splatting on the floor.

Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll have your housing arrangements ready by four this afternoon... Will that be okay?"

Hinata replaced the look of shock with a look of happiness and threw her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you, Naruto-kun..."

Naruto felt himself blush at the old honorific. Which was odd, because he never did that.

* * *

><p>Hinata silently followed Naruto down the dirt streets. They began to venture into the more heavily wooded areas of Konoha, which confused her. Wasn't she just getting an apartment?<p>

As if he had read her thoughts, he said, "Since I'm Hokage, I can give you any living space available. So... Since you're one of my closest friends-" he held out a key and unlocked a gate, gently pushing it open to reveal one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen "-this is all yours."

Hinata remained speechless as she looked over every inch of the space. It was almost as big as her old compound with her family, if not bigger. There was a large pond with decorative stones and rocks. A long pathway led to the main doors of the house, which were traditional sliding doors. "N-Naruto-kun... This place is..." she whispered and Shiro looked just as surprised as she did.

Naruto smiled at her and began walking down the long stone path. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Shiro stopped his mother and reached up to her, wanting to be held. He hadn't said a word since they left the tower, but he didn't leave her side for even a second. She picked him up and held him close, allowing him to bury his face into her shoulder. The woman followed Naruto, listening to the things he had to say, letting the beautiful place settle in.

"I've already sent some of my staff to retrieve your bags from Ino's house. They should be here soon." he said.

Hinata smiled at him. "Thank you, Naruto-kun..." she said softly and caught up to him, causing him to stop. "I wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier... It was rude of me-"

"No, Hinata, it was rude of me. I shouldn't have pulled the Hokage card on you..."

The two stood there in silence, both at a loss for words.

Naruto cleared his throat and led her to the den area. "It's already completely furnished. It's always been my little getaway; Sakura doesn't even know about it. I thought it would be a perfect place for you and Shiro to live." he said as he sat in a wooden chair next to a small table.

Hinata sat across from him, putting Shiro in her lap. The toddler simply stared at the table, keeping his mouth shut. After a few moments of silence, the doorbell rang. Naruto stood to answer it, leaving Hinata and Shiro alone.

"Momma?"

Hinata smiled and looked at him. "Yes, Shiro?"

"Did daddy die protecting us?"

This took Hinata aback, but she kept her composure. "Just like he said he would."

Shiro kept his eyes on his lap even when Naruto came back into the room announcing that their clothes had been delivered. The three year old climbed off of Hinata's lap and went to his little bag.

Shiro bit his lip to quiet the sobs that were trying to escape as he dug around in his bag. He finally pulled out a little scroll and looked around the room, searching for an empty place on the wall. He found one and quietly walked over to it, also finding a small nail sticking out from the wall.

The small boy slowly unraveled the scroll and hung it from the nail, then backed up and looked at it.

Hinata and Naruto both looked from Shiro to the scroll.

Hinata's heart dropped.

Naruto's stomach churned.

On the scroll was a perfectly detailed painting of a baby Shiro, held in Hinata's arms, with Sasuke standing next to her, a protective arm around her shoulders.

Shiro then looked up at the woman, an innocent small child still lost without his father.

"He will always be my daddy. No matter what." he said stubbornly. He then turned and somewhat glared at Naruto, sending him a silent warning.

* * *

><p>Hinata escorted Naruto to the door after Shiro had finally gone to bed.<p>

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. For everything." she said with a smile.

Naruto smiled back at her, "Nah, it's no problem."

Silence fell between the two, but it was comfortable.

"So, I take it Shiro doesn't like me much, does he?"

Hinata leaned against the wall and sighed. "He's still really upset. I don't blame him though. He's never liked any other man other than Sasuke. He's always been very protective."

Naruto leaned up next to her. "Ah, well, he doesn't have anything to worry about." he said, almost remorsefully.

Hinata gave a single empty chuckle. "I never got to congratulate you on your marriage. It's honestly been the farthest thing from my mind." she said, hiding her eyes beneath her fringe. "This has always been a very bitter day for me, ironically on Shiro's birthday."

Naruto kept his eyes on her, deciding whether or not he should ask. "What did I do?"

Hinata seemed to freeze on the spot. She cleared her throat and began to usher Naruto to the door. "You need to get home. It's getting late... And Sakura might be getting worried." she said the last part barely over a whisper.

Naruto turned and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Hinata, I know I messed up. Tell me what I did so I can fix it."

She sighed. "There's nothing you can do to fix it, Naruto-kun..."

"I can try."

She looked up at him. "Alright..."

* * *

><p>Naruto laid in his bed that night, unable to sleep. He only stared at the ceiling, angry with himself.<p>

_'How stupid was I back then?'_ he asked himself, then looked over to his slumbering wife.

He turned to his side, away from her.

Once Hinata had told him everything, he felt like the lowest of the low. He ran a hand through his messy hair, letting out a silent sigh.

_'Geez, no wonder she left me-'_ he quickly corrected his thoughts, _'Err, the village.'_

He sighed again, feeling his stomach drop to his feet.

_'I'm such an idiot.'_

* * *

><p>Okay, I am terribly sorry for the delay on updating! Please forgive me!<p>

-PA


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! I'm sorry for the long update! I'm glad you guys are still hanging on!

-PA

* * *

><p>4. Healing<p>

_Naruto turned and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Hinata, I know I messed up. Tell me what I did so I can fix it."_

_She sighed. "There's nothing you can do to fix it, Naruto-kun..."_

_"I can try."_

_She looked up at him. "Alright..."_

_Naruto gulped as her gaze was glossy and hazed over. _

_She took his hand and gently led him to sit on the sofa. Her hand left his and she began to draw circles on her dress, biting her lip. At that moment, Naruto felt like they were sixteen again. Her face was cherry red as she fidgeted. But he couldn't help but feel totally lost as he watched her wallow in her thoughts. Only when she took in a shaky, deep breath did his heart fall deeper into his gut._

_"I-I don't know where to begin..." she breathed out and carelessly tucked a strand of navy blue hair behind her ear. She willed herself not to cry. _'No more crying!'_ she shouted at herself, but the prickling feeling stabbed her tear ducts in a mocking fashion. She leaned her head back slightly to push them back, but they only gathered along her bottom lids, making everything she looked at to appear swimming in her tears. _

_Naruto waited patiently for her to start. He attempted to pull his heart from his stomach, but he knew there was no way out of this. He'd screwed up, and obviously pretty damn bad. He watched as the indigo haired beauty began to twirl one of her long tresses around her finger._

_She cleared her throat, quiet and somewhat broken. "It... It was Valentine's Day." she started, her lower lip quivering. "Ino and Tenten... They were with me. They gave me the confidence to see you that day. Everything was going okay... I was still nervous as could be." she said, barely above a whisper. _

_The blonde Hokage simply stared at the hardwood floors, his cerulean eyes concentrated on the lines in the wood._

_Hinata sniffled a little. "I came to your apartment. I knocked three times and waited so, so very anxiously..."_

_Naruto tilted his head a little to look at the woman, recalling things that tied into her story. "I was drunk." he said, more of a statement than a question._

_She nodded. "Incredibly."_

_Something struck Naruto in the heart. What was it? Guilt?_

_"I helped you inside. There were sake bottles everywhere..." she scrunched her nose up at the memory. The burning sensation in her nose was one she would never be able to forget. "I sat you down so you wouldn't harm yourself."_

_She felt something bubble up in her stomach and spread through her veins like fire. Rage. Pain. Betrayal. They all came out at once. She gripped her skirt in her hands until her knuckles turned snow white. She began to tremble like a leaf in the wind and caught her lip between her teeth. The tears weren't of sadness anymore. They were of anger._

_"I loved you, Naruto Uzumaki." she spat, venom seeping from each letter. _

_Naruto was taken aback. He'd never seen her this way. What was the quiet, meek Hyuuga he remembered was now gone, eaten up by the bitterness inside. It was evident in her almost-white orbs that she was infuriated. _

_"I wanted to tell you I loved you. But it wasn't the time." she continued. "You sat there and ranted about _Sakura_. About how much you loved her and how long you wanted to be with her! Six years, you said!" Her tears flowed like waterfalls down her cheeks and she feverishly wiped them away, a frustrated cry coming from her throat. _

_Naruto watched her carefully, the guilt taking huge chunks of his soul as he saw his ex-admirer hold herself together. "Hinata, I-"_

_"Don't! I'm not done!" she seethed. She looked at him, her hands balled into fists. "You know what you said to me? You said I don't know what it's like... I don't know what it's like to know that the one I love is in love with someone else..." she sputtered._

_Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but his voice was caught in his throat. What was he to say to her now? He couldn't apologize for this. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to gather his words. She jerked back, as if she had been burned by his touch. He tried again, but she only moved farther away, pulling herself into an iron shell he would never be able to break._

_"Trust me, I know what it's like, Naruto." she said. "I watched you for years chasing after Sakura-san. And now you have her..." she trembled. "I'm... I'm happy for you."_

_She then stood, keeping her back to him. She knew she looked like a mess, but she couldn't let him see her this way. She wouldn't. She had come so far. She was stronger than this. She felt his hand wrap around her right wrist and she just wanted to push him away. Her skin felt like it was ignited from her wrist to the rest of her body. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't hear him. She didn't _want _to hear him. _

_"...forgive me?" _

_She looked up at him. "W-What?"_

_When their eyes met, they became crestfallen. "I said... I know I messed up, Hina-chan." She winced at that name. "And I would do anything in my power to go back and fix that day. Believe it. I'm so sorry... Will you ever be able to forgive me?"_

_She felt his hand tighten around her wrist. She wanted to forgive him. She really did... But it was too much. She'd been let down too much in her life. Kicked while she was down. Chewed up and spat out. It was hard to trust... She pulled her wrist from his grasp and held it to her chest, as if she was injured. And in a way, she was._

_Numb was how she felt. But she felt... Lighter. Like a burden had been lifted off of her shoulders. _

_But she felt cold. Naruto's touch had warmed her, but now she was below zero. She'd never admit it, but it was a good feeling._

_"I'm sorry, Hina-chan." she heard. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and a peck on her cheek._

_Then he was gone. _

* * *

><p>Hinata wasn't sure how long she stood there after Naruto left.<p>

Ten minutes?

An hour?

Her legs started shaking and they finally gave out, sending her crashing back onto the soft cushions of the sofa.

"Damn it..." she choked out. Her heart twisted in her chest and a sob caught in her throat.

"Damn you, Naruto Uzumaki..."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Hinata decided to explore the gardens to clear her mind. She pulled the weeds from the soil and picked the dead leaves from the stems of the flowers.<p>

"Mama!"

Hinata twisted her gaze over her shoulders to see Shiro hurrying over to her. She chuckled as her son embraced her. "Good morning, Shiro." she whispered, her voice cracked from sobbing the night before.

"Mama... I don't hate you for not telling me."

An arrow shot right through Hinata's heart. Hearing those words caused her eyes to prickle with the same intensity as last night.

"I love you, mama."

"I love you too, baby." she said and kissed his forehead.

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed a heavy, overly dramatic sigh.<p>

He sat back in his large chair, letting his head totter backwards. It was already midday and he had barely gotten anything accomplished. How could he? After last night's event, he was surprised he'd gotten himself out of bed this morning. He just couldn't stop beating himself up over what Hinata had told him.

_"I loved you, Naruto Uzumaki."_

He groaned and leaned forward, running his hands through his blond hair. How could he have been so oblivious? Now that he knew, all those signs she dropped... All the times she stood up for him when they were in school, the fainting before him when they were twelve, always worried about him. He sighed again, this time at himself.

His eyes traveled up to his desk where they landed on a framed photo of Sakura. He reached over and retrieved the frame, bringing it to rest in his lap. He stared at it for a moment, as if he had forgotten the woman in the picture.

He was happy.

Right?

He'd finally gotten the woman of his dreams. They were married. They'd been married for two and a half years.

Why wouldn't he be happy?

He stood, looking at the picture one last time, before laying it on his desk, picture down.

* * *

><p>Hinata hummed happily as she walked through the shops. Ino had offered to spend time with Shiro so Hinata could do some shopping. She was happy, but she did indeed miss Shiro. She just smiled to herself and held her head high. "As soon as I'm finished, I'll be on my way home!" she sang to herself. She shivered as the cool market air brushed past her. She wore another sundress, but this one was a light blue and reached to right below her knees. She smiled as she waved to the passing people.<p>

She walked though the aisles, looking at the different fruits and veggies she could buy. Subconsciously, her hand ran across a large, plump tomato and her heart skipped a beat.

_"Tomatoes are my favorite, you know..."_ she heard. Just like clockwork, she grabbed the biggest, ripest tomatoes she could find and gently placed them in her shopping basket. A sad smile played on her lips.

She'd never really had a taste for tomatoes before she left with Sasuke. It wasn't until a year after they left and Sasuke had gone grocery shopping when she fell ill. He came back to her with arms full of nothing but tomatoes.

She chuckled at the memory and moved down the aisle more, grabbing more things along the way.

A sniffing sound reached Hinata's ears and she turned, her eyes landing on a large white canine who reached her shoulders. He cocked his head to the side, his tail low and his ears angled backwards.

"A-Akamaru..." Hinata whispered.

The large dog instantly perked up, his tail wagging with excitement. He licked her face joyously and Hinata squealed with delight. Her arms flew around the dog's neck, her fingers gripping onto his white fur. She was aware of the few people staring at the woman hugging the large dog, but she was filled with excitement! And if Akamaru was here, then that meant...

"Akamaru! Here boy!" someone shouted, followed by a sharp whistle.

The large canine replied with a happy yelp. Hinata turned just as the owner of the voice, and Akamaru, turned onto the same aisle. She grinned cheekily as he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide and mouth agape.

Her heart almost popped from her chest as she looked at her old teammate. He was definitely taller now, but he wore the same dark jacket and slacks and he still adorned the red tribal marks on his cheeks. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth so as not to loose her composure.

"Hi-Hinata?" he questioned.

"Kiba-kun!" she exclaimed, running to him with her arms out in front of her. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

It took Kiba a moment to comprehend this. His eyes were wide still, but his lips formed a smile that was unmatched by any other, teeth and all. He threw his arms around her in a huge bear hug

* * *

><p>Hey guys! Thank you for waiting for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it!<p>

-PA


	5. Chapter 5

I apologize for the delay!

-PA

* * *

><p>5. Kindling<p>

Hinata pulled away from Kiba's arms and beamed up at him.

"Hi, Kiba-kun." she said cutely, her cheeks red with happiness.

"Hi! You're gone for five years and all you can say is 'Hi!'" he shouted, half humorously, half serious. "How about you tell me where you've been for five damn years!"

Hinata giggled a little, which only aggravated the Inuzuka more. "I'll explain all that later, Kiba-kun." she said.

Kiba composed himself and scratched his neck in a nervous manner. "Well, Akamaru, looks like you won the bet."

Akamaru barked triumphantly and Hinata gave Kiba a questionable look. "What?"

"Oh, Akamaru and I made a bet."

"You made a bet... With your dog." Hinata repeated, trying not to giggle.

A pink hue spread over Kiba's face. "Hey! It was a good bet... Akamaru bet he could find you. I bet he couldn't because you weren't here. Well... I was sadly mistaken, obviously." he said, looking to the floor.

Hinata laughed, but not in a mocking fashion. "And what was the loss of this bet, Kiba-kun?"

Kiba blushed even more and looked away. "We'll find out later." he said quickly.

Hinata was still chuckling when she grabbed Kiba's arm. "Come on. Walk with me." she said.

The Inuzuka was slightly caught off guard. _Wow... She's really different. _he thought. _I kinda like it..._

"I was just about to finish shopping then head home. Why not come with me, Kiba-kun? I would love the company." she said over her shoulder.

"Uh, sure, Hinata-chan." he said, feeling as if he had no other choices.

Hinata grabbed a few more things before paying, making small talk with Kiba the whole way.

"How's Shino?"

"Oh, he's fine. We don't really talk much, though."

"Aw, that's saddening. We should have a picnic someday."

"That sounds great, Hinata." Kiba said with a smile.

"How is your mother and sister?"

"They're doing good. But living with them is like a nightmare. All the time." he chuckled.

"I would like to visit them soon. I've missed them so much!" she said excitedly.

"I'm sure they would definitely enjoy having another female around."

They laughed together as they exited the market.

"So, are you living at the compound again?" Kiba asked.

Hinata shook her head. "No. They don't even know I'm home yet, I don't think." she said. "Naruto got me my own place. It's this way."

Kiba followed Hinata to the more heavily wooded area of Konoha, Akamaru following behind them.

* * *

><p>Naruto stretched his back as he leaned up from his sixth bowl of ramen. He'd usually be on his twelfth bowl, but his appetite wasn't as big as it should have been.<p>

He let out a sigh and pulled out his wallet, lazily counting out the correct amount of pay.

He froze when he heard a familiar voice outside the ramen stand.

"No. They don't even know I'm home yet, I don't think."

He quickly whipped his head around and saw Hinata walking by, her arms full of groceries. But who was she talking to?

"Naruto got me my own place. It's this way."

The blonde man squinted his eyes to try to recognize the person walking alongside Hinata.

"Kiba..?" he questioned to himself.

His suspicions were correct as he noticed the large canine following the pair.

Naruto watched them pass the stand and realized how close together they were.

Something bubbled up in Naruto's stomach, and it took him by surprise.

Was that jealousy he felt?

Surely not...

Did Hinata just grab Kiba's hand?

Naruto twitched and slammed the possibly correct amount of money on the bar and hurried from the stand.

* * *

><p>Kiba stood in awe before the large estate.<p>

"Naruto just... Gave this to you?" he asked, clearly in disbelief.

"Uh huh. He said it's all mine." she stated proudly. "Come on, let's get these groceries inside." she said.

The pair walked along the cobblestone path to the door.

Hinata looked back and noticed that Akamaru wasn't following them. "Does Akamaru not want to come inside?" she asked.

Kiba quickly searched for something to say. "Oh! Uh, he, uh, doesn't like going inside new places... Makes him nervous." he said.

She gave him a strange look. Then shrugged and slid the front doors open, letting Kiba walk in first.

* * *

><p>Naruto slyly jumped from tree to tree, making little to no sound.<p>

Envy powered his feet to stay graceful and quiet, even though he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. Why? He had no idea in the world.

He stopped in a tall tree just before the compound and watched as Hinata followed Kiba into the house. He twitched again, clenching his fist at his side.

* * *

><p>Hinata led Kiba to the kitchen, dropping the grocery bags onto the counter. "Thank you for helping me, Kiba-kun." she said and smiled at him.<p>

Kiba's cheeks tinted red and he looked away coolly. "Ah, don't worry about it, Hina-chan." he said, keeping his composure in check.

The two moved in comfortable silence around the kitchen, putting all the food in the proper places, occasionally bumping into one another.

At one point, Hinata was carrying a jar of jam, and Kiba bumped into her arm. This startled Hinata, causing her to drop the jar. It shattered on the floor and she pouted a little. "Oops..." she mumbled and leaned down to retrieve the broken glass.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Hina-chan! Here, let me get a rag real quick." Kiba quickly said, fumbling throughout the different drawers.

"No, no. That's fine, Kiba-kun. Nothing to worry abo- Ow!" Hinata whimpered, bringing her cut finger to her lips.

The brown-haired boy hurried to her side with a small bandage. She held out her finger to him, blood threatening to drip off her fingertip.

At that moment, Kiba felt like they were sixteen again. During training, of course, Hinata was the one to heal his and Shino's injuries. But every now and then, the situation was opposite. And Kiba didn't mind in the least bit playing doctor. It made him feel needed.

Hinata blushed as he tended to her minuscule injury with such gentle ways. "Thank you, Kiba-kun..." she whispered.

Kiba flushed once more, this time worse than the others. _The way she whispered my name... Oh, man... I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. _He looked up into her eyes, caught in them for the moment.

Hinata's cheeks turned red as well, feeling hot under his gaze. "Um... Kiba-kun? Are you... Okay?" she asked, attempting to break the silence between them.

Kiba blinked a few times. "Huh? Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine." he said and managed a smile.

She looked down, feeling his hands slowly wrap themselves around her own. Her eyes widened a bit as she looked back up at his own amber orbs, which were slowly closing and moving closer.

"A-Ano... Kiba-kun..." she whispered, feeling a little light-headed.

"Shh... Just let me..." he pleaded, moving his body closer to hers.

* * *

><p>Naruto stealthily crawled over to the kitchen window, carefully as to not make a sound.<p>

He searched around the kitchen, looking for Hinata's dark hair.

Then he found her.

She was knelt down on the floor, in front of Kiba, who was holding her hands in his larger ones.

Naruto glowered at he male, holding himself back from lunging through the window.

It only got worse when Kiba started leaning closer to Hinata, his eyes slowly closing in a romantic manner.

Naruto's heart stopped as their lips met.

He felt like he'd been pierced by a spear right through the chest.

He watched as Kiba moved his hands to Hinata's shoulders, bringing her even closer to him.

He watched as Hinata placed her hands to Kiba's chest.

And that's all he could take.

Naruto clutched the cloth over his heart and disappeared into the trees, not sure why he felt this way.

But he didn't like it.

* * *

><p>I know, I know! It's been AGES! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!<p>

-PA

P.S. Oh, and I would absolutely LOVE to see some Shiro fanart for those of you that own a Deviantart! That would be amazing!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello, everyone.

I noticed there's a lot of confusion from the previous chapter.

In all reality, I base the relationships of the characters to ones I've either experienced myself, or some that I've been present for.

I'm trying to make these as realistic as possible.

It is possible to be in love with one person, yet still be jealous over someone you know you've lost, hence Naruto loving Sakura yet realizing he'd missed out on Hinata.

I hope this can clear things up just a bit.

I assure you, I will not disappoint you.

Thank you for reading.

-PA

* * *

><p>6. Do You?<p>

Hinata pulled back from Kiba's lips, her face tomato red. Her breathing was uneven and her eyes wide.

Kiba had a look of shock on his face. "Oh, my Kami! Hina-chan, I'm so sorry..." he fumbled, gently letting go of her hands.

The wide-eyed girl stared at him, confused. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but to no avail.

Kiba looked away from her and began to clean up the forgotten glass from the floor, stood, and hurried away to dispose of the shards.

Hinata sat there for a few moments, her brain slowly processing the event playing through her mind.

How long had it been since she had been kissed that way?

Oh, that's right.

Just before Sasuke left to battle.

She ignored the pain in her heart and stood, turning to look at Kiba's back as he washed the jam and blood from his hands.

Quiet as a mouse, she walked up behind him and, so softly, wrapped her arms around his torso.

He stiffened at her touch, but slowly relaxed after a few seconds.

She pressed her forehead to his strong back and inhaled his scent. He smelt nice, like cinnamon and sunflowers she noted.

They stood like that for what seemed like ages, nothing but the tap running, breaking the silence.

Kiba's large, calloused hands moved to Hinata's long elegant fingers, lacing them together.

It was quiet.

"Hinata?"

Silence.

"Hm?"

More silence.

He tightened his hands around hers.

"I've missed you." he confessed.

She hugged him closer. "I've missed you, too." she whispered.

He turned in her arms, their bodies flush together. Hinata saw a foreign emotion on Kiba's face, one that caught her heart in her throat.

The male looked over her feminine features. Her soft eyes, thin, pink lips, her high brows and cheekbones. Everything was stunning. She had definitely grown into her body nicely. He placed her arms around his neck, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Hinata, can I ask you something?"

She nodded, her eyes focused on his chest.

"Do you still love Naruto?"

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed as he walked down the sidewalk.<p>

"Why would she tell me all of that... Then go off and kiss Kiba? That doesn't make any sense." he mumbled.

He grumbled to himself as he kicked a rock, feeling much like a child.

Maybe it was just the guilt still eating at him.

He loved Hinata, sure. But he wasn't IN love with her.

He felt guilty for what he'd done all those years ago.

He kicked the poor rock with such force he'd lost sight of it.

Moments later, the rock came back and hit him square in the forehead. He blinked and recognized the person who threw the offending rock.

"Meanie Neko-man!" Shiro taunted.

"Hey, Naruto." Ino greeted, holding Shiro's tiny hand in hers. "Have you seen Hina-chan? She was supposed to come pick up Shiro after she went grocery shopping, but she never showed."

Naruto let out a bitter chuckle. "She and Inuzuka headed to her house." he said, then continued to walk past them.

Ino turned and watched him go, taking note of his bitter attitude. Shiro made a face at him and followed Ino the way Naruto had came.

* * *

><p>Hinata's mouth hung agape. "W-What?"<p>

Kiba tucked her hair behind her ear. "You heard me, Hina." he said softly.

She caught her lip between her teeth, unsure of the answer herself. She drew in a breath and slowly began to explain. "Kiba-kun, I care for Naruto, but..."

"But?" he questioned.

"But-"

"Hina? You home?" Ino called throughout the house.

The couple jumped away from each other, faces flushed.

Ino entered the kitchen and laid eyes on the two embarrassed adults. A sly smile spread across her lips. "Oh, my. Am I interrupting anything?" she questioned.

Kiba and Hinata exchanged looks, obviously answering Ino's question.

Ino laughed at their expressions. "Well, well! I had to make a delivery, Hina!" she said.

Moments later, a giggling Shiro came in, riding Akamaru like a horse. "Momma! Momma, can we keep him? He was waiting outside for me! Is he another birthday present, Momma?"

Hinata chuckled and moved to Shiro, picking him up off of the large canine. "No, baby. This is Akamaru, and he's Kiba's dog."

Shiro gave her a confused look. "Who is Kiba?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"That's Kiba, right there." she said, carrying the three year old over to the flabbergasted male.

Kiba's face was unreadable.

"Did he just... Call you his mother?"

* * *

><p>Hinata calmly sighed as Kiba tried to wrap his brain around what she had just told him.<p>

"Okay, okay... So, let me get this straight." Kiba said, "You left with Uchiha five years ago."

"Yes."

"Because of Uzumaki."

"Mhmm."

"Had Sasuke's kid."

"Yes."

"Sasuke died. And you came back here."

"That's exactly correct."

Silence.

"Well, it could be worse." Kiba mumbled.

Hinata smiled and shrugged, a cute blush covering her cheeks. "I suppose so."

Kiba smiled a little as well, still a bit weirded out by the information he just acquired. He then leaned on the table, a serious look on his face. "Hina-chan, about earlier, the kiss and all that... I'm sorry." he said.

Hinata's blush increased. "O-Oh... It's alright. I mean..." she looked away shyly. "It's not like... I didn't like it..." she whispered.

Kiba looked at her, a cheeky grin on his lips. "Oh, really now?" he teased then moved close to her, placing his hand on her cheek, giving her a seductive look. "And what if I had gone farther? Ne, Hina-_chan_?" he whispered, his voice gruff.

Hinata's eyes were wide and she pushed him away, hiding her face. "Kiba-kun!"

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading this chapter!<p>

-PA


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